Majority of Californians want bullet train stopped

September 30, 2013

The majority of California voters want the high-speed rail project stopped, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. [LA Times]

Statewide, 52 percent of respondents to the poll consider the $68 billion bullet train project a waster of money and want it stopped, while 43 percent said it should move forward.

The bullet train project linking Los Angeles to San Francisco has fallen a year behind schedule and is facing lawsuits that could cause further delays.

A year ago, state rail officials said public support of the project would increase as the plan became clear. But, 70 percent of respondents said the high-speed rail project should return to the ballot, whereas only 55 percent said so last year.

Sixty-one percent said the bullet train would reduce traffic on highways and at airports, but only 39 percent would take the rail over flying or driving. Fifty-eight percent of voters polled said they would rather fly or drive from Southern California to the Bay Area.

A majority of voters in the Bay Area still support the project, but respondents in Southern California, the Central Valley and Northern California counties all favored killing the project.

Fifty-one percent of Bay Area respondents said they support the project, while 56 percent in Southern California, 59 percent in the Central Valley and 61 percent in Northern California counties said the project should be killed.

31 Comments

A Colossal Waste of Money. We already have high speed travel – it’s called an airplane. No scars to cut across sensitive habitat and they don’t even splatter bodies on the track. Why don’t you bleeders focus on the crazy fact that L.A. doesn’t have a rail line to their airport? That’s where you need to waste the rest of California’s money!

I notice you had no reply to me, either. For your peace of mind, I suggest you move to China, where they are perfecting their “Intercontinental Railroad.” Of course, they’re using theirs to ferry troops to Tibet, but that’s a small price to pay for progress.

Sure, whatever. You failed to address any of the issues raised in my first post in any meaningful way. You have nothing other than ad hominem attacks. In this thread and others you routinely use personal insults to deflect attention from your own regrettable lack of substance. Well, according to others of your ilk, the new healthcare law will enable you to get mental health services for next to nothing. Please take advantage of this service. Good luck.

I would dearly love to know what the 43% are thinking. First the 50-100 BILLION to build it, then the $$$$$?? every year after to subsidize it. Where is that going to come from? Maybe a dollar or two tax on every gallon of gas?

Japan, Germany, and many other nations in the advanced, industrialised parts of the world have enjoyed efficient, high-speed rail for decades. It’s time for America to join the future.

Those polled that are opposed to this are either misinformed know-nothings, or modern day Luddites that would have been against the Intercontinental Railroad and the Interstate Highway System just to remain in their fantasy idealised past.
It’s time for these followers of right wing extremists and demagogues to get out of the way.

First of all, the important question would be to what extent are those other systems subsidized? What is the actual ridership, and do fares cover a significant portion of the costs? Yes, Germany has high-speed as does France, and Japan too. But there are still plenty of cars out on the autobahn and I know because I’ve been there. The CA project has in fact already blown way past its initial cost estimates. Those in charge rejected suggestions from the French who run the TGV that the new line run along I-5 where most of the earthwork was done and paid for decades ago. The CA High-Speed Rail Authority (not sure of the exact nomenclature) has been sued over allegations of having violated its own procedures; one of the plaintiffs is Kern County and it appears to be a strong case. Businesses in Fresno and elsewhere along the route are being told they need to sell and close now, well in advance of construction. And in the face of all this, your response is to deride those who oppose the system as, “…either misinformed know-nothings, or modern day Luddites that would have been against the Intercontinental Railroad and the Interstate Highway System just to remain in their fantasy idealised past.” I’m opposed to this project in its current form because it is not the best solution. Bullet trains are actually 1960s technology. High-speed rail between Madera and Fresno will not do one thing to alleviate congestion along the 210, or the 405, or the 880. Maybe you could actually do a little more research, do your due diligence as a citizen, and make some effort to offer more than tired, dog-eared diatribes against others who obviously are paying more attention than you are.

If you’ve never noticed those countries you mentioned have densely populated cities with large agricultural areas between. The cities have central hubs for the trains then smaller public transport spreading out from there. Now, if you’ve never taken Amtrak from SLO to San Diego (about 10 hrs) it does fine until Los Angeles. Then it stops what seems like every 15 feet! I did it once and swore no matter how expensive gas got, I would drive instead.

“If you’ve never noticed those countries you mentioned have densely populated cities with large agricultural areas between.”

Japan ? Really ? It’s one of the most densely populated nations on the planet.

“The cities have central hubs for the trains then smaller public transport spreading out from there. Now, if you’ve never taken Amtrak from SLO to San Diego (about 10 hrs) it does fine until Los Angeles. Then it stops what seems like every 15 feet!”

Sounds like a plan. High speed rail would alleviate much of this congestion.
By the same token, high speed air transport does not have airports for planes to stop at every podunk town or crossroads.

Has it occurred to you that perhaps those who oppose this project have a fondness for the past? A period when life was meaningful, and people actually talked to each other.. and even their neighbors A time when people actually took the time to stop and smell the roses.
It appears the majority of Californians feel that the rat race needs one less rat. A rat whose $68 billion price tag will surely grow exponentially before completion.

O.k. seriously, this thing was sold to the public originally at about 9 billion and the next thing you know it BALLONS to 68 billion. This bond is why I didn’t vote for it, as most bonds I don’t vote for. The politicians always sell the gullible public on this crap and it almost always goes WAY over original projections. When will people wake up??

do you think they send that money into outer space? it’s INCOME for Rail workers. How do you people miss that? EVERY DOLLAR. EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR goes into a workers pocket. With $68 Billion in circulation, Imagine the schools and hospitals, 7-11 and Television salesman and car dealers and and and.. lets do this. I’m BEN. I’ll spend all of my pay locally like the others here do. Remember when Chumash was a metal Building? look at the economy in that area. THAT’S what Cash flow does. Spend the money. EVERY SINGLE CITY with a cash flow feeds families. go out to Calico Ghost town. THAT is a place where money is saved on it’s infrastructure,.

Ben, you failed to point out that Chumash was/is a private enterprise – paid for, and risk accepted by a corporation of sorts. The Bullet Train is a public project and is funded by and risk accepted by a majority of people who don’t want it.

The politicians don’t really care what the people think. the bullet train is all about union jobs that have been promised. It doesn’t matter that the people don’t want it and that there is no money to pay for it!

Union jobs? oh PLEASE enlighten us. Are there enough union workers to do the work? if so, are they sitting here unemployed? Wait, you mean they;ll have to hire more workers? that’ll help the economy and the gop can’t have that.